Problem Grizzly Moved South of Yellowstone After Cattle Clash

An adult female grizzly bear was relocated just south of Yellowstone this week after causing trouble with cattle in Fremont County, Local News 8 reports.

On July 29, Wyoming Game and Fish, working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and officials from the Targhee National Forest, trapped the bear and moved her to the Calf Creek drainage area — about a half mile from Yellowstone’s southern edge.

Why move her? The bear had been linked to cattle depredation on national forest land, and officials decided relocation was the best move after other deterrents didn’t work.

Relocating grizzlies isn’t done lightly. It’s part of a bigger wildlife management strategy to deal with human-bear conflicts — especially when a bear gets too close to livestock or populated areas. Biologists take into account the bear’s age, sex, and what kind of trouble it got into before picking a relocation site.

But not every bear gets a second chance. If a bear is a danger to people or continues to cause problems after relocation, it may be removed from the population entirely.

Officials also reminded the public that keeping food, garbage, pet feed, and even bird seed out of reach is crucial to preventing these run-ins in the first place. Bears follow their noses, and once they get used to human food sources, it’s hard to break the habit.

Want to be part of the solution? Check out the Bear Wise Wyoming program to learn how to live responsibly in bear country.